Category: Latest Washington News

Washington signs K Brett Maher to practice squad

Washington signed K Brett Maher to the practice squad, giving them a backup plan in case Dustin Hopkins is unavailable to play.

The Washington Football Team has officially rounded out their 17-man practice squad with the signing of K Brett Maher, who used to play with the Dallas Cowboys.

We got word earlier in the week that Maher was coming to Washington to work out, and a signing to the PS seemed inevitable. This has nothing to do with the job security for K Dustin Hopkins, who has been great for Washington but rather acts as a safety net in a COVID-ridden year where you have to be prepared for anything.

Though the NFL has done an incredible job irradiating the virus within their locker rooms thus far, having a plan going forward in case one of you players gets infected is key.

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Washington names 2020 team captains, including Dwayne Haskins, Deshazor Everett

Washington named their captains for 2020, including Dwayne Haskins, Brandon Scherff, Jonathan Allen, Landon Collins, and Deshazor Everett.

The time has come for the Washington Football Team to name their team captains for the 2020 season, and the list did not disappoint.

Among the five captains are QB Dwayne Haskins, RG Brandon Scherff, DL Jonathan Allen, S Landon Collins, and S Deshazor Everett. Those players will represent Washington in most matters going forward, and will likely be at the center of the field before games for the opening coin toss going forward.

For Haskins, a second-year QB looking to make the leap forward, this was a big deal, as he’s been working to be a better leader for his teammates this offseason. Having him named as a captain is the obvious next step for him, as he looks to take control of the team.

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Injury Report: Gandy-Golden dealing with concussion; Fuller limited with knee injury

The first injury report in Washington shows Antonio Gandy-Golden has a concussion, and Kendall Fuller is dealing with a knee injury.

The first official injury report for the 2020 season is out, and of course with this being Washington, there are a few key guys listed as limited.

The biggest news is that rookie wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden has been dealing with a concussion throughout training camp, which would explain some of his absences. He has been full-go at practice as of late, though. It was also reported that Saahdiq Charles, Kendall Fuller, and Thomas Davis have all been limited as well.

Charles, the rookie LT, missed almost all of training camp with a calf injury, but he has since suited up and taken part in some position drills after making the 53-man roster cut. Fuller, the CB who Washington brought back home this offseason in free agency, has missed a grip of time so far with a knee injury, but hopes are that he can suit up for Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

We also saw that Thomas Davis was not listed with the starting linebacker group on the first official depth chart, which can now be explained due to his limited listing on the injury report.

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Peter Schrager says Washington’s defensive line will be NFL’s best in 2020

Washington’s stacked defensive line has a chance to be great in 2020, and now some are predicting they will be the best in the NFL.

We’re now just a few sleeps away from the Washington Football Team officially kicking off the 2020 NFL Season against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the anticipation is heating up to a boil.

It’s not the anticipation that Washington will be able to go on some major run and sneak into the playoffs, but rather that they will be a serviceable team with a dominant defense, capable of turning some heads across the league.

Recently on NFL Network’s flagship show, Good Morning Football, analyst Peter Schrager went on a tear praising the Washington defense, particularly the defensive line, calling them one of the best in the NFL, and claiming that they will be a dominant force in the NFC East.

 

It’s not just Chase Young, it’s other first-round picks as well. It’s Jonathan Allen, it’s Daron Payne, it’s Matt Ioannidis, it’s Ryan Kerrigan, it’s Montez Sweat. These guys are all first-round picks, with the exception of Ioannidis, and they were coming on strong last year. They get Chase Young, who might be the best defensive talent to enter the NFL since Myles Garrett, and they were already really good. I look at it this way: The 49ers last year, no one thought their defensive line was going to blossom, and all of a sudden it was leading them to the Super Bowl. I don’t think Washington is going that far — they don’t have it on the offensive side of the ball — but that front-five, those guys and the rotation that they’re going to have, I think they’re going to be dominant, and they’re going to give the NFC East hell this season.

If Washington is going to win many games, it will be the offense who has to come through late and put some points on the board. But if all goes right, you can at least count on the defense to keep the score manageable for Dwayne Haskins and his fellow skill-position players on offense. If we can rely on Scot Turner’s offense to put up 17-20 points per game, then you might be able to see Washington rack up a few victories.

It all starts with the defense though, and buzz about their ability continues to grow.

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Washington works out K Brett Maher as COVID safety-valve

Washington has its kicker in Dustin Hopkins, but they recently brought FA Brett Maher to work out in case they need a backup plan.

It was reported on Tuesday night that the Washington Football Team had brought in free-agent placekicker Brett Maher, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, to work out this week ahead of the first game of the 2020 season. Before you read too far into things, questioning whether or not longtime Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins’ job is at risk, remember what year it is, and that we’re in the midst of a global pandemic that could pull any single player out action for a couple of weeks at a moment’s notice.

With that being said, Washington brought in a kicker to work out simply so that they could be prepared for the worst.

There is no word yet on whether the team will sign Maher, or simply keep a close relationship with him, but it’s good to know that Washington has a backup plan, should they need one.

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Pro Football Focus predicts LB Kevin Pierre-Louis to be breakout player in 2020

PFF recently pegged Washington LB Kevin Pierre-Louis to have a breakout season in 2020, which would be huge for the defense.

One of the most notable players thus far the Washington Football Team during training camp has been the newest linebacker, Kevin Pierre-Louis, who signed with the team this past offseason.

After an underwhelming career with several teams in the NFL, KPL has been able to step up and earn a starting spot on the Washington defense, turning a lot of heads along the way. We’ve heard from players and coaches who have marveled at his ability, and now Pro Football Focus is naming Pierre-Louis their breakout star for Washington this season.

Washington’s linebacker unit is a true wildcard, but Kevin Pierre-Louis could help that with a late-career breakout year in 2020. He has been an NFL journeyman, playing a snap for four teams in six years in the league and never seeing ample time in any sizeable stretch until late in 2019 with the Chicago Bears. He entered in Week 4 for the Bears when injuries hit the unit and performed well by producing an 89.8 PFF grade.

He then logged only three snaps until seeing the field for 187 snaps over the final four games. In that span, Pierre-Louis was the league’s highest-graded off-ball linebacker (89.3), as he was productive in coverage and as a blitz weapon. It’s rare to see a player break out in Year 7, but Pierre-Louis might defy those odds, given what he showed last season.

It could be as simple as a coaching change that made things click for KPL this offseason, now playing under Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio, two former linebackers themselves. What’s important is that Washington’s linebacking unit is in need of some help, and Pierre-Louis seems like the might be the guy to bring it. If he can live up to expectations, the defense only gets more dominant.

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Washington’s lack of drafted skill-players on offense is shocking

The offense in Washington leaves a lot to be desired, and it makes sense considering how few early-round talents are at skill positions.

One of the biggest flaws in Washington’s roster comes on the offensive side of the ball, where there is a stark lack of proven players, especially at the skill-positions. While QB Dwayne Haskins was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft, if you remove him from the equation, it’s nearly impossible to find anyone on offense who was highly sought after coming out of college.

Wide receiver Terry McLaurin is the obvious success story, as a third-rounder who would be taken in the first round should there be a re-draft of his class, but the rest feels pretty accurate. Look at how many middle-rounders and undrafted players currently fill out Washington’s offensive roster.

Outside of Haskins, not a single first-rounder at a skill position. Not even a second-rounder. There are high hopes for RB Antonio Gibson, who was taken in the third round, but even then, there is a huge lack in experience, as he only took 33 carries at RB in college.

Sometimes it’s easy to look at Washington’s offense and wonder why they tend to struggle to find success. When you see numbers like these, it makes quite a bit more sense. The draft is important, and Washington has failed to add offensive stars there for years.

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Ron Rivera misses first practice due to cancer treatment

Ron Rivera had his first treatment for lymph node cancer on Tuesday, and the team is led by DC Jack Del Rio in his absence.

Ever since Washington head coach Ron Rivera announced that he had squamous cell carcinoma, a ‘very treatable and curable’ form of lymph node cancer, we knew that it would at some point have an effect on his ability to coach the team.

The first we’re seeing of that came on Tuesday, with Rivera missing the early portion of practice, at the very least, due to his first treatment for the cancer. In his place, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is stepping up as the head coach, as was planned, and running the team through their first game-week prep of the new season.

This is not a new role for Del Rio, as The Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala noted. Back in 2013, Del Rio played a similar role with the Denver Broncos when HC John Fox underwent heart surgery and was forced to miss four weeks of the years.

All of this is according to the plan that Rivera and his team set upon knowledge of the diagnosis, but it’s now officially in effect. All the best to Coach Rivera as he tackles this treatment head-on.

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J.D. McKissic listed as starting RB on Washington’s depth chart

Many thought rookie Antonio Gibson would be the starting RB in Washington, but the first official depth chart lists J.D. Mckissic instead.

With all of the running back news that has taken place in Washington over the past few weeks, you’d think that we were all out of surprises. However, another one came on Tuesday morning, with Washington listing J.D. McKissic as the starting back on their first depth chart of the season.

This comes as a surprise mainly because many expected rookie RB Antonio Gibson to take over as the lead back once veteran RB Adrian Peterson was released from the team last week. This of course doesn’t mean that Gibson won’t get a big share of the workload, but it does show the confidence that the team has in McKissic, who has had a great training camp thus far.

We will see how long it takes for Gibson to take the reigns in Washington, but for now it appears that McKissic is the guy for Week 1.

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Philadelphia vs. Washington 2020 odds: Eagles open as heavy road favorite

The Eagles will travel to Washington this weekend to take on their division rivals, and they’re almost a touchdown favorite to win.

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It’s Tuesday in September, and we’re talking about which football team you should bet the following weekend. Man, it feels good, doesn’t it?

The 2020 NFL season kicks off officially on Thursday, with a primetime game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans, but the rest of the league gets underway on Sunday. That’s when the Washington Football Team will host their division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles at FedEx Field at 1 p.m. ET.

Many people now have their fantasy lineups set, but a select few are looking for a bit more action. Are you one of them? Then this article is for you. Let’s reveal the early betting lines for this game, and see what odds you can get.

All betting odds are from our partners at BetMGM. 

Spread

Philadelphia Eagles -6.5 (-110)
Washington Football Team +6.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Philadelphia Eagles -286
Washington Football Team +230

Over/Under

43 points (-110)

Later in the week, we will tell you all of our best bets for the weekend, so stay tuned for that.

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